Of the Testimony of the Fathers Concerning This Article

Although we might fully close this first century, as it concerns baptism upon faith, with the testimony of Holy Scripture, we, so as not to appear deficient, nevertheless think it proper to add the testimonies of the fathers, down to the end of this century.

About the year 52. Jac. Mehrn. Bapt. hist., page 578, from Simon Metaphrastes, D. Vicecomes records the following incident (book 1, chapter 4, in the life of Saint Auxibius): When Saint Mark, the apostle of Christ, saw that Auxibius had a desire for Christ, and that he was believing and instructed, he went down with him into a pool and baptized him. [n95-1] This is the first example we read of in history, outside of Holy Scripture, of those who were brought into the church of Christ through baptism upon faith.

About the year 60. In, or very near, this time it is recorded, even by several papist writers, that there were such people and such a sect as were afterward called by the name The Poor of Lyons, Waldenses, Albigenses, who were also called Anabaptists, or Baptists, because of the like faith which they had in common, as shall be shown later. Therefore the papists complain of their being held to be of such high antiquity; for some say that they existed in the time of Sylvester, in the year 315, and others assert, and with more justice too, in the time of the apostles. Baptism. pastor., page 615, from a very old book. Also, page 670 and page 682, from Flaccius. Also, D. Balthazar Lydius (though he misinterprets their doctrine) in the tract, "Where the church was before the year 1160," printed at Dort in the year 1624, page 2, column 1, from Reynerius Priester.

About the year 68. It is stated that in the time of Nero two daughters of Valentinian, a Christian at Aquileia, who had been brought up by their father in the Christian faith and the fear of God, were instructed by the priest or teacher Hermagoras, and baptized at a running water. See De gantsch klare en grondige bewijsinge van den Doop, printed in the year 1581, letter Bv. [n95-2]

About the year 70. In or about the time of the death of the apostle Peter is placed the bishop or teacher Linus, of whom it is testified that he baptized, after instruction had gone before, the son of Perpetua, a Christian woman. See the above. Also, Kort verhael van den loop der werelt, by F. H. H., printed at Franeker in the year 1611, page 47.

From the year 71 till the year 111. It is stated that between these years there flourished Ignatius, who was the second bishop of Antioch after Peter, and who, according to the chronicles, carried out the duties of his office in the time of the apostle John. When he writes of baptism, he uses no other manner of speech than one which clearly implies that baptism must be accompanied with faith, love and patience.

In his letter to Polycarp, bishop at Smyrna, he writes among other things these words: Let none of you be found an apostate: "Let your baptism be your weapon, your faith your helmet, love a lance, patience a full armor."

In a letter to the Trallienses he writes likewise: "It appears to me that you do not live after the flesh, but after Jesus Christ, who died for our sakes; so that you, believing in His death, may, through baptism, be partakers of His resurrection:"

Again, in the letter to those at Philadelphia he writes thus: "Seeing, then, that there is one only ungenerated God and Father; and one only begotten Son, Word, and Man; one Comforter, the Spirit of Truth; and one faith, one baptism, and one church, which the apostles have founded with their sweat and labor, in the blood of Christ from one end of the earth to the other; therefore you, as a peculiar people and holy generation, must also do all things with a unanimous heart in Christ."

Who does not see here that Ignatius, by joining together in this order or sequence preaching, faith, baptism, and the church, means to say that according to the ordinance of Christ preaching has the first place, and must therefore come first; that after faith comes baptism, and that after baptism the one baptized is a member of the church? And that then the members of the church, as a peculiar people and holy generation, must do all things with unanimous hearts in Christ? For this is the meaning of the words of Ignatius. See, concerning the letters of Ignatius mentioned above, H. Montanus in De nietigheyd van den Kinder doop, printed the second time, pages 4 and 5. Also, Jac. du Bois (though he misinterprets these letters), Tegen Montanus, printed in the year 1648, pages 16 to 22.

In the year 95. It is here recorded that Clemens, the fourth bishop of the church at Rome, ordained:

That the heretics' baptism is neither to be supported nor accepted; therefore he who has received baptism in agreement with the truth of the church shall not be rebaptized; but he who does not rebaptize the unclean, that is, those baptized by the ungodly or by heretics, shall be deposed, as one who mocks the cross and death of Christ, and does not distinguish the false priests, or teachers, from the true ones (distinction 30, chapter). [n95-3] Again, in his second epistle he speaks of baptizing on the feast, and that the candidate for baptism is to be examined three months beforehand. P. J. Twisck, Chronicle, book 1, in the year 95, page 32.

It certainly appears clearly from these words of Clemens that at that time no other baptism was in use in the church than that which was administered after instruction had gone before; for when he speaks of baptizing on the feast, and that the candidate for baptism is to be examined three months beforehand, it is certainly stated that no newborn children were then baptized; for who does not know that children are born throughout the whole year, and not only on feast days (namely, on Easter or Pentecost)? Besides, infants cannot be examined in the faith three months before their baptism, as is required here of the candidates for baptism.

Moreover, in the third letter of Clemens the following words are found, which express the preceding meaning still more clearly: If anyone desires to become a believer, and to be baptized, he must prepare himself to lay aside the former wickedness, so that from then on he may obtain, by a good way of life, an inheritance of the heavenly riches, according to his own deeds. Let him who desires this go to his priest, or teacher, and hear from him the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven; let him exercise himself diligently with fasting, and examine himself well in everything, so that after three months he may be baptized. Everyone shall be baptized in running water, and the name of the blessed Trinity be invoked over him. Jac. Mehrn., Bapt. Histor., part 2, on the second century, page 209, from Clemens, third letter.

From the Constitutionibus Apostolicis, book 7, chapter 23, by the same Clemens, these words are taken: Concerning baptism we command you before, O bishop, and say this also: that you shall baptize as the Lord has commanded us, when He said: "Go, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you" (Matthew 28, verses 19 and 20). Bapt. Histor., page 200. From Constit. Apostol.

The words of Clemens above speak so plainly of the true order of the baptism of Christ that they need no explanation at all. We shall therefore pass on to the martyrs who suffered in or about this time.